One of the most common challenges online educators encounter is high course abandonment rates. Almost 70% of employees don’t complete their online or other forms of training. Why does this happen and what can these providers do about it?
Reasons for abandoning online courses
- Learners may have trouble adjusting to the online environment and experience technical issues such as slow loading times or poor navigation of the online platform.
- The course content itself may not meet learner expectations. They may feel it isn’t relevant to their daily lives. Its presentation may overwhelm them and make the material hard to digest.
- Learners may feel a lack of motivation when left to their own devices, such as when to learn. They often have busy schedules, so fitting online learning in can be tricky.
- Online learning may come with a lack of interaction, which can make learners feel isolated.
Online educators need to take notice of signals that show learners could be ready to drop out. They may not log in for a while, skip quizzes, or fail to complete assignments. When seeing signs like these, early intervention can help to reduce course abandonment.
How video helps maintain motivation and clarity
The strategic use of videos can help to motivate and engage learners. E-learning providers can use videos in all stages of the learner journey, from the time they onboard learners to after they complete courses.
With the use of videos for many different purposes, it’s important for online educators to use a video hosting platform that supports their organization and distribution. The Cincopa platform allows e-learning providers to deliver targeted video content at key moments in the learner journey.
Adding choice and variety is a great way to keep learners motivated and video provides the perfect medium for this. There are so many types of videos that can create connections with learners and increase their trust. It’s helpful to use a variety of different types of videos. Some helpful ones for this purpose are webinars and live Q&A sessions.
Instructors may use live streaming for lectures and then save the content as video-on-demand for learners who want to access it later. A library of videos that’s easy for learners to access is one of the best ways to support continued learning.
Video types that support retention
Many types of videos can help to support learner understanding and retention. When they understand and retain information, this motivates them to continue learning.
Welcome videos
Welcome videos can make new hires feel included right from the beginning. They can give them a warm introduction that creates an immediate connection so they want to stay involved.
Goal-setting videos
When online educators clearly outline expectations and success metrics, it gives new hires and other users clarity and reduces frustration and anxiety. This increases the likelihood of continued e-learning engagement.
Progress check-ins
Progress check-in videos help to make learners feel valued and allow them to receive help where necessary. They appreciate acknowledgement of their progress.
Demo videos
Online educators can create demo videos to show learners how to do something. This can be really helpful for a multi-step process. Learners may not fully understand how they are supposed to complete and upload assignments. A demo video can make the instructions clear to them.
Animated explainer videos
These videos can help to explain difficult concepts and make them easier for learners to understand.
Interactive videos
These videos incorporate features that require learners to take action, which is far more engaging than passive learning. They may have to complete a quiz, fill in a survey, or click on a hotspot in a video to access further information.
Scenario-based videos
Scenario-based videos provide one of the best ways to help learners practice their skills. This is a great type of video for student motivation, as they can gain hands-on experience and confidence in their ability to apply their skills in a real-world situation.
Microlearning videos
It helps break information up into small units that each cover a specific topic. This caters to short attention spans and encourages learners to keep watching microlearning videos on a daily basis.
When learners start watching a video but drop off at some point, it’s a sign to e-learning providers to pay attention. If they drop off at an early stage, it may be because the presentation style or format fails to keep them engaged.
Using personalization and pacing to keep learners on track
Personalized learning
When learning is more hands-on, motivation increases. Every learner learns differently and online educators need to accommodate their different needs and preferences. This is when personalizing their learning paths can be very effective. They can allow them to choose which pathway to take.
Personalized reminders are one of those learner retention strategies that can be very effective. They may be in the form of push notifications or in-app messages to remind learners where they left off and make them feel noticed. Online educators can use video messaging to send a personal message to a learner, such as “Hey Brian, great job completing 73% of the course! You only have four lessons left to go.”
Duolingo’s reminders and notifications were a hot topic of conversation when people started joking online about how threatening they were. Duolingo leaned into this idea and incorporated it into its brand messaging. It cleverly improved its marketing and engagement with learners in this way.
Milestone-based rewards
Offering learners small rewards at certain milestones in a course can be very motivating. Using game elements like points, levels, and badges is a great way to keep them going. The rewards remind them that they’re making progress and give them a feeling of achievement.
Interaction with others
Online learning can be isolating, so online educators need to encourage interaction. This can happen through discussion forums and virtual meet-ups. Online learning platforms can have discussion boards where learners can share questions and ideas. Instructors can assign group activities that require collaboration.
Most LMS platforms have software that allows learners to work collaboratively on projects. The video hosting platform online educators choose to use should offer easy integration with an LMS.
Meaningful feedback
Learners that constantly receive feedback learn more efficiently. Online educators can identify areas where learners aren’t progressing and offer help. If they see learners are working at a fast pace, they can offer them supplementary materials.
Distribution tips: where and when to deliver these videos
To choose the most effective delivery method for their videos, e-learning providers need to ask themselves some questions. Who are their learners? Where do they hang out online?
Choose the right channels
Rather than trying to post videos on all social media platforms, they need to identify which ones their learners use most. A link on social media to videos on a website helps to drive traffic to the website.
Email marketing can be very successful. If online educators can get enough prospective learners to sign up to their email lists, they have a way to form long-lasting connections with them.
Make courses mobile-friendly
If learners are abandoning online courses, they could be having problems accessing materials. Today online courses must be mobile-friendly and learners must be able to access course content from their mobile devices without any issues. This offers them more flexibility when it comes to where and when they can complete courses.
Localize e-learning content
Online educators can localize e-learning content in various ways, such as using subtitles and transcripts. This makes content accessible to learners who speak foreign languages or have learning disabilities. Localizing interactive elements in videos like quizzes may require adjusting timing and functionality.
Conclusion: Strategic video keeps learners engaged and moving forward
One of the biggest issues online educators have to deal with is online course completion. Learners have many different reasons why they abandon online courses. Some ways to reduce course abandonment include offering technical and academic support. Communicating consistently and encouraging learners to interact can help them to feel more connected. Using the right platform and strategies is essential in order to offer this. Online educators can sign up for a free trial on the Cincopa homepage and explore the ways in which it can help them provide the best online learning experience for their learners.
